A first QPR appointment in the career of referee Tom Nield on Tuesday night, though opponents Oxford have enjoyed his company over recent seasons.

Referee >>> Tom Nield (West Yorkshire), Oxford are unbeaten in five appointments with this referee including two big away wins.

Assistants >>> Damith Bandara (South London) and Stuart Butler (Kent)

Fourth Official >>> Robert Whitton (Essex)

History

First QPR appointment.

Stats

Nield was promoted out of the National League and onto the EFL list for 2017/18 refereeing 29 games, almost exclusively in League Two, that season and showing a slim 65 yellows and two reds. His first ever game in League One was Oxford’s 4-1 away win at Peterborough in September that season. His card average didn’t stray too far from that lenient 2.24 in 2018/19, with 68 yellows and three reds from 21 appointments in including five at Oxford’s 0-0 draw at Bristol Rovers, but shot up to 3.34 in 2019/20 with 97 yellows and three reds in 29 fixtures — another huge Oxford away win, 4-0 at Southend, ominously among those games, as well as a 0-0 at home to Ipswich which was suspended for sometime due to a torrential thunderstorm. Last season he showed 109 yellows and three reds in 32 games (3.4), including three in Oxford’s 0-0 draw with Charlton. Eight yellow cards across two games so far — Newport’s 1-0 win against Oldham in League 2 and Gillingham’s 2-1 victory over Morecambe in the division above. He is yet to officiate at Championship level.

Nield is a senior nurse in the NHS and you can read about his role in fighting Covid-19 in West Yorkshire on the Sky website.

The Twitter/Instagram @loftforwords

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